Foldable desk and cabinet unit



All@ 11, 1936- `.1. FANARJIN 2,050,833 l FOLDABLE DSK AND CABINET UNIT y Filed July 13, V1954 lNvgNToR Mfw ATTORN EY Patented ug. 11, 1936 sra'rss oFFIcE This invention relates to improvements in foldable desk-and-cabinet units.

One of the objects of this invention is to produce a foldable desk, especially adapted for children, and capable of conversion by folding into a compact space-economizing cabinet and by extension into a desk having. a strong iirm writing surface.

Another object of my invention is to provide, in a combined desk and cabinet unit, a cabinetbody having one or a plurality of drawers, movable transversely of the line of movement of extension and supporting members, .through one side of the said body, the extension member projecting from vthe front of said body to convert the unit into a desk.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a unit of the type speciiied having supporting members including leg extensions connected by levers and movable simultaneously into folded and extended positions.

Still another object of my invention is to provide simple means operable on movement of the supporting members and legs into folded position to engage and prevent opening of any or all the drawers.

Still another object of my invention is .to provide drawer-engaging or locking members on the foldable supporting members and an extension writing member, preferably comprising ,a part Aa lock to a stationary front part of said cabinet,

whereby a single lock will enable all the parts of the desk to beretained in locked position.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises the combination of members and arrangement of parts so combined as to coact and co-operate with each other in the performance of the functions, and the accomplishment of the results herein contemplated, and comprises in one of its adaptations the species or preferred form illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in Whichr- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a foldable desk and cabinet embodying my invention in folded position;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of said desk and cabinet in extended position;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3 ofv Fig. looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section of the latch element between the foldable writing top and stationary part of the cabinet body, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section of the lock ernployed by me.

.Referring now` to the drawing, 1 indicates my 5 desk and cabinet. which embodies in the folded position thereof, as shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 3, an enclosed oblong cabinet provided with three drawers I4, I4 and Illa. Said cabinet comprises, as shown, a horizontal base-member I2 10 having feet I2 to raise the same off the floor, a back member I3, a top member 1, a vertical side member I I at one side and a vertical post member II at the opposite side spaced from the back to provide drawer insertion space at said l5 side, which space is as shown divided by hori- Zik-.2b beneath the front edge thereof, a writing top 2 which when closed forms an upper panel of three panels enclosing the front of the cab- 25 inet, and said writing top preferably folds into .iiush relationship with lower sectional stationary panels I6, I6 which close the lower front portion of the cabinet except for a slot Isa. The writing top is supported in extended position by 30 supporting lmembers 3, which extend to the floor and provide a .rm and solid support for said top. VThese top-supporting members 3 are, as

shown, hinged to the frame members II, II' by means of four hinges 3, 3d., 3e, 3f to swing in 35 a horizontal plane and each comprise body portions 3a connected at one vertical edge to a frame Amember and floor-contacting leg portions 3 at lthe free vertical edge of the body portions 3a.

The panels I6, I6 are separated by said slot I6a 40 lthrough which the lower leg portions 3 of the .top-supporting members are, during movement vinto closed position, adapted to move.

outer edge will be iiush with the top edges ofthe panels I6, IBA to which it may be fastened and locked in closed position.

`1n the preferred form of my invention, the two 4supporting members 3 are connected together 55 by a system of levers to cause the same to be moved into open and closed position together by a single pull on either one of the said members. As illustrated, levers 4, 4 are flxedly pivoted at da and 4b on the bottom surface of the top member I and these levers are crossed and one has a slot 4d and the other a pin 4c forming at the crossing point a slot and pin connection. The ends of the levers 5, 5 at the opposite sides of the slot and pin connection have pivotally connected thereto at 5.a, 5b one of the ends of the links E, `6,the oppsit'e ends of said links being pivotally connected to the top-edge portions ofY A each of the supporting members 3, at 6a, 6b, intermediate the Vertical edges thereof.'n a- -porti'on dil said top edge being depressed to provide space for said links. The top edges of said members 3 are preferably reinforced by.l metal. "stripsf 3E, 311.` One of said foldable supporting members carries means for engaging and locking the drawers againstsliding'movement and;,-as shown, I provide on thefleggengaging Iandlocking means comprising a seriesfofpegs I8, I9, and 20 and to cooperate therewith I provide in the drawers I4, I4] and. 14% holed-1.84 L9" and 20 into which Ysaid pegs enter when the-supporting members v arenroved intoclosed position. A latch. I -5` is provided for releasably vlatching ,with a rounded-enlarged nose and with aV spring I5" arranged between `said noseand saidv partition.

, Akey-actuated lock2l is alsoprovided'for locking the, writing member to -oneoffth'esaid sectional. panelsfand; asshown, to. the. panel. I6. The lock has akey-actuated bolt 22iwhich: enters asocketi23iin=said panel I6,-said-lock being actuatable by a" suitable Vkey throu'ghfthe key hole l24.. v Y

It will be; seen thatlalockingz of, the writing top als'ojlocks and prevents accesslt'oth'e drawers because the; pins I8, |19 "and y'2D cannot be' withdrawn from their holes I 81's, I9 and 20? until said lock is-releasedgthe Writing memberraised and` the` supporting elements` swung out.

Thefoperation of openingA and closing` Twill be obvious fromthe above description.

- Having described my-inven'tion, I -claim:

1. A foldable-deskfand cabinet' unitembodying, Y

in combination-a casing having the conformation substantially'ofiarectangular lparallelepiped providedzwith a foldable front--portionlextens'ible by vertical movement thereof vtoprovide a writingl membergf'a. stationary panel section disposed substantially flush with the said writing surface member inclosed position andV forming substantially the balance of the -front-face-'of saidcabinet, and a lfoldable supportarr'an'ged in folded position beneath and inside theplan'e-of thefront f face foffthe vcabinet and 'movable horizontally into contact with the under surface-of the writing member'and withltheloor. Y Y

2.' A' foldable des'kand-cabinet unit embodying,

inacombination.- aliasing-having -the'cnformation substantially of a rectangularpparallelepiped provided'withafoldable front portion extensible by, verticalimovement thereof to provide a lwriting member, a pair of staticrfzagiyv panelsfdisposed substantially nush with Ythe-closed position of said -foldable "frontfsid'e portion; 'spaced to provide a slot and forming substantially the balance of the front face of said cabinet, a pair of supporting members each hinged at one edge to an edge of the cabinet and having its opposite edge free, said supporting members being arranged inwardly of the plane of the front face of the cabinet and adapted to swing horizontally into Contact with the bottom surface of the writing member and with the floor, said supporting members having` leg portions at their free edges passing in folded position throughsaid slot between the said panels.

3. A foldable desk and cabinet unit embodying, in combination, a casing having the conformation substantially of a rectangular parallelepiped providedwith a foldable front portion extensible by v'e'rticalmo'vement thereof to provide a writing member, .a pairy of stationary panels disposed substantially flush with the closed' position of said foldable front-side portion spaced to provide a slot. and: 'forming substantially the 'balance ofthe front face of said cabinetga pair of supporting members each -hin'ged at one edge to an. edge of thecabinetand havingits'op'posite edge free', said supporting. members. -being arrangedI inwardly of thegfplanefo'f the front.- face of the cabinet and adaptedftd fswingahorizontally intov contact with the bottom surface of the writing member and with. -theiioonl saidsupporting members having leg portions at their free Vedges passing `in folded positionfthrough said slotbetweenth'esaid panels, a plurality of` sliding.V drawers-in "said cabinet movablelth'rough'one -end thereof., andmeans car- -ried by said supporting-members engageable in -closedt position with said drawers, whereby a movement into closed position-ofi the supporting members locks'. the drawers.

4; A--foldable deskfand cabinet `unit embodying, in" combination, a-casing having-the conformation substantially.` ofl afrectangular parallelepiped provided with a foldable front-portion extensible A-by"verticalmovementthereof'ltoprovide a writing member, aipairof. statichar-y` panels :disposed substantially liiush with the closed positionl of said foldable..1front`side. lportio'n; spacedtoprovide a slot and forming substantially the balance offthe frontlface of saidcabinet-,a pair of supporting members "each--liin'g'ed-at-one edge to-an edge of "tlie cabmetf'andlhaving itsA opposite edge f ree, said supporting Imembers being-'arranged inwardly of vvthe plane 1of-thelfrontf iface ofthe cabinet and adaptedtol swing horizontally intocontact 4with -the'bottornl surface of thewriting member and Vwith the floorfsaid Supporting membershaving leglportions at their free edges' passingin folded position`-through1said 'slot between-the said panels, aipluralityvofisfliding drawersinsaid'cabinetmovable fthrou'ghphe'endthereof, means carried by Vsaid supporting membersengageable in closed position `withsaid drawers, and a-single lockl mountedionftheouter edge of saidextensible front face Amember and'.y having. -a -locklboltengageable with'thetop.'edge'ofioneiofsaid.stationary panels, whereby a movement ofthe said boltLon-th'e fold- `vable front: portion ,into-locking engagement will completely. lockthe cabinetand I drawers.

5. A foldable desk and cabinet unit embodying, -in combination,I a casingl having theconformation substantially of arectangularlparallelepipediprovided witha--foldable frontportionextensible by vertical movement f thereof '-to.. provide a writing member, 'a 'pair offstationary panels disposed substantially'flshwith-the closed position of said foldable frontesideportin, 'spac'ed'tofprovide a e161; aaffornung substantially-the balance ofthe 75 front face of said cabinet, a pair of supporting members each hinged at one edge to an edge of the cabinet and having its opposite edge free, said supporting members being arranged inwardly of the plane of the front face of the cabinet and adapted to swing horizontally into contact with the bottom surface of the Writing member and with the floor, and lever mechanism comprising crossed levers pvoted at one end to the stationary parts of the cabinet, having an intermediate connection with each other and links pivoted at one of their ends to said levers and at the other ends to top edges of said supporting members, whereby movement of one member will cause simultaneous movement of the other, and a movement limiting stop for both members is provided.

J OI-IN FANARJ IAN. 

